This invention incorporates by reference U.S. application Ser. No. 12/286,441 entitled “A Bar Gun Assembly” filed Sep. 30, 2008 and U.S. application Ser. No. 12/465,283 entitled “Flow Control and Manifold Assembly” filed May 13, 2009.
Dispensing systems, including beverage dispensing systems having bar guns that are well-known in the art. Bar guns are designed to dispense multiple beverages therefrom, typically receiving a number of different types of syrup from a number of separate sources, as well as carbonated water. Typically, pressing a button for the desired beverage on the bar gun will valve both the carbonated water (soda) and the syrup for post-mixing and dispensing into a cup as known in the art.
Typical beverage dispensing systems of the bar gun post-mix type typically include remote vessels for the soda, which vessel is typically maintained at a cooled temperature. Trunk lines are provided from the main remote carbonated soda (out) and/or beverage syrup vessels (out), which trunk lines provide fluid under pressure to, typically, a multiplicity of remote bar guns. As is known in the art, the trunk lines carrying cooled fluid, typically soda water, carry fluid to the bar guns through a valve and manifold assembly. One of the functions of the manifold and valve assembly is to provide individual on/off valves to each of the multiplicity of lines (soda and syrup) entering the valve and manifold assembly, as well as providing individual valved channels, which valved (flow controlled) channels have valves engaged therewith. The valves may be flow control valves or mechanically set adjustable orifice valves, but in either case, they are designed to control the flow rate of the fluid (syrup or soda) flowing therethrough so as to properly mix the soda/syrup at the bar gun nozzle, so that it will be neither too strong nor too weak. All of the foregoing describes structures and functions well-known in the art.
However, prior art post-mix bar gun dispensing systems have a drawback wherein, if a long enough period of time exists between dispensing operations, fluid in the valve and manifold assembly and downstream thereof, may begin to warm up. That is to say, if a bar gun is in almost continuous use, fluid from the cooled trunk lines and remote sources is not stagnate or stationary for any period of time sufficient to warm up to or near room temperature. However, if a sufficient period of time elapses between dispensing, product (soda or syrup) in the valve and manifold assembly and downstream thereof tends to warm up. This is especially deleterious with carbonated water (soda) wherein the CO2 gas entrained in the soda under pressure will release greater amounts if the dispensing temperature is warmer than if it were cooler. Greater amounts of released gas generates greater amounts of unwanted foam.